1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to watercraft, and more particularly to occupant-powered watercraft.
2. Description of the Related Art
The popularity of pedal-type watercraft has increased in recent years, due at least in part to individuals who are both health-conscious and concerned for their personal safety on the roadways. Bicycling, although quite popular, is high on the list of most dangerous activities. With increased congestion on roadways and its accompanying hazards, many cyclists have turned to the waterways where the workout of a bike ride is combined with wide open spaces and its accompanying scenery. Moreover, recent laws banning motorized personal watercraft due to environmental concerns have also contributed to the increasing popularity of pedal-powered watercraft.
One type of pedal-powered watercraft is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,795,381 issued to Willems on Jan. 3, 1989. The watercraft in this patent includes a floating body upon which a pedal assembly and recumbent seat are mounted. The seat can be adjusted toward or away from the pedal assembly to accommodate different sizes of users. An endless drive chain, reduction gearing, and a drive shaft connect the pedal assembly to a propeller. In one embodiment of this patent, the propeller and drive shaft extend downwardly and rearwardly from the floating body. A tandem seating arrangement is also shown.
Another type of pedal-powered watercraft is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,460,551 issued to Beres on Oct. 24, 1995. In this patent, the pedal-powered watercraft is shaped as a kayak with an integrally molded seat. A pedal assembly is connected to a propeller through a transmission and drive shaft arrangement. A front storage compartment as well as a rear storage compartment are provided.
Pedal-powered watercraft similar to the above types have hulls that are inherently unstable in the water. Great skill is required to keep the vessel from capsizing, especially during mounting, dismounting, pedaling, and turning operations. Many potential users, especially those that pursue recreation only occasionally or those that lack confidence in the water, may thus be apprehensive about using such watercraft.
Prior art pedal-powered watercraft also suffer in their inefficiency to translate rotational motion of the pedals into watercraft speed. Many users find that their legs become tired before completing the time interval needed for an ideal cardiovascular workout, while the distance traveled is somewhat less than exhilarating. Increasing the rotational speed of the pedals often does little toward increasing the speed of watercraft movement. As an example, typical pedal-powered watercraft having a pair of side-by-side pedal assemblies only travels approximately 1-2 mph in the water, despite increased rotational speed of the pedals.